Exposed Vocals Interviews Djehwti Awsar El

Djehwti Awsar El is a Wu-tang affiliate producer & composer. He has also worked as a sound engineer for such musical greats as Guru of Gangstarr, Sade, P. Diddy and more. We recently had a chance to interview Djehwti Awsar. We spoke with him about his remix of “Formation” by Beyonce and the new single from his “Jwptah (Jupiter)” ep featuring Wu-tang vets Cappadonna and Papa Wu entitled “Black n Beautiful”.

 

 

 

 

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

Djehwti Awsar El: I grew in South Carolina. My father was a radio disc jockey and to show host and that influence of music was always there. Back in the day when pops was doing his thing, he used a drummer to play along with the records and during the off days the drum set was kept in the living room of the house so I would bang around on them and around that same time I got a guitar, so I was introduced to music and the artistry of music early and overtime that turned into me becoming a musician, creator and producer of music.

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

 

Djehwti Awsar El: Funny enough it chose me. It is recognized as a name but it’s really more of a description of my purpose in this lifetime. It means: Transforming into the wisdom of the higher self. The language of the name is Medw Neter (medu net-ter). This is the language of Ancient Kemet, the correct name for what is now called Egypt. So the full name is Djehwti Khepra Awsar El (Jah-whootie Kepera Uh-sar El). The name of my company also reflects this heritage as KHEMWEST which is simply saying Khemet of the west.

 

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

 

Djehwti Awsar El:My thoughts on music sharing are positive. The Internet and social media has truly changed the game of music, but I offer my listeners the option to stream for free as well as buy. Overall I look at the change as a good thing in the long run because artist can connect directly with their fans and listeners. It also gives artist and indie labels the chance to create new business models on how to sell their music because right now the business model is changing.

 

 

 

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

Djehwti Awsar El: Well, I’m a start-up myself, lol, but the tips I have are to stay on your grind. Be a long term thinker and learn how to separate the artist from the business person. Also be clear on what your actual goals are, like are you looking to make your company a player as a business or are you building your artist brand to later partner up with a bigger music brand. Whatever the end goal:

1. Define your goal.

2. *** Visualize your goal with the purest intent of heart.

3. Go hard for it.

 

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

Djehwti Awsar El: I don’t really have a set process. My mode is more like, be the vessel, stay open for inspiration because it can and does come from everywhere. Like the Beyonce Formation Remix for instance, I didn’t purposely set out to do that remix at all. But one day I was driving and the song came on the radio; I really listened to it and was like wow, this is dope. So after the song went off, I turned on iTunes to my Brazilian jazz playlist and a few songs in I heard a harmony that was in the same key as the Bey joint and over the next week other ideas revealed themselves, then I played with the rough idea for that composition in my head for a few days and then started tracking the record..

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

 

Djehwti Awsar El:  My main platform is social media. I have a stand-alone website for the radio station INFINITE KHEMWEST 102.5 because I had to have that to host the station but otherwise you can find me on Facebook Twitter LinkedIn. I have to get my Instagram game up lol but simply Google KHEMWEST and follow the rabbit hole.

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

Djehwti Awsar El:  That’s an easy one. I would invest both it into KHEMWEST.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

 

Djehwti Awsar El:  Social media is my main avenue for marketing. What works for me is the main model of keeping you product and/or service in the eyesight of potential customers. Social media is like the birth of radio and TV back in the day. It’s still a new platform but is is the medium of tomorrow combined with mobility.

I’ve been using SM for focused marketing since Myspace. So I have thousands of hours invested that has produced a niche/uniqueness in my marketing techniques that developed totally in cyber-space.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

 

Djehwti Awsar El:  Yes, I produced and composed a project with an artist by the name of Amun Ra called “Sun Cycle”. It will be fully released by summer 2016. Right now his label is doing some test marketing overseas in India and so far, so good.

Surprisingly enough they are very receptive to what they have heard from the project. I’m currently producing a new group from the Wu camp called Ghetto Elohim (GE). Right now we have two joints done that we put on the wire last year. So, we look to have that project completed by years end.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

 

Djehwti Awsar El:  That’s very hard to say, only because I’ve been immersed in music my entire life intently, lol. I walk a personal path of the spirit and I have been into that from my early teenage years, so maybe a life coach or a teacher.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

Djehwti Awsar El: When you are growing a business, everything needs to revolve around your business. Now here’s the kicker because life is life and bills are bills so there is the need of income in the form of a job or business of your own that has to be factored in. So when I worked a 9 to 5, I dedicated at least three hours to my bigger vision at least four days out of the week. Developing a strong skill of time management is key.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

Djehwti Awsar El: You can expect more great music that was better than last year. Look out for Amun Ra, GE and more remixes!